Attentive, consumers seek not only organic products but also reliability and ethics
*By Lilia Kawazoe
There was a time when we blindly trusted product manufacturing or did not give due importance to the planting and harvesting of the raw materials that generate the final items we buy. But, as everything evolves, so do consumers, and with that, we began to demand more transparency, ethics, and sustainability from the Food and Beverage Industry.
There was a time when we blindly trusted product manufacturing or did not give due importance to the planting and harvesting of the raw materials that generate the final items we buy. But, as everything evolves, so do consumers, and with that, we began to demand more transparency, ethics, and sustainability from the Food and Beverage Industry.
The rising numbers show that we are talking about a market that demands needs, opportunities, and, above all, innovation. What does this mean? That several other aspects are being valued by consumers in products. According to the Brazil Food Trends 2020 report, there is a strong focus on the consumption of safe products with certified quality, which inspire greater trust in the customer.
Still according to the Brazil Food Trends 2020 report, food trends are based on five pillars: 1. Sensory Experience and Pleasure / 2. Healthiness and Well-being / 3. Convenience and Practicality / 4. Reliability and Quality / 5. Sustainability and Ethics.
This shows that society is increasingly conscious, seeking information and concerned with issues of origin, credibility, quality seals, and provenance guarantees. From the moment they started reading labels, consumers learned to value risk control and good social and sustainable practices, with products that promote healthiness and well-being.
In this regard, I affirm that today’s consumers care about the environment and look for goods and companies that contribute to a better world, with actions such as reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and carbon emissions, avoiding animal testing or mistreatment, using recycling practices, and working directly with small rural communities or in remote areas of Brazilian biodiversity.
As Commercial Manager of Concepta Ingredients, a unit of the Sabará Group, I proudly say that our company is fully aligned with sustainable practices aimed at minimizing its footprint. We actively work on practices such as circular economy, water reuse, and conservation of local flora and fauna, and we were the first chemical industry in Latin America to issue green bonds.
When it comes to food, the report explains that the trend toward healthiness and well-being has generated the need for adaptations in companies in the sector to meet the growing demand for healthier food, considering the nutritional and caloric value of meals. As a supplier to the food sector for over 20 years, our mission is to deliver carefully selected ingredients to serve industries seeking innovative, flavorful, sustainable, and functional products.
Today, for example, we produce the line of Organic Liquid Sugars (mascavo and demerara), with ingredients that contain no chemical additives, artificial components, or pesticides. Mascavo sugar, for instance, undergoes no refining process, thus preserving the minerals and phytosterols derived from sugarcane. Demerara sugar is less refined than standard sugar, ensuring the presence of sugarcane nutrients.
We also offer a line of Vegetable Oils such as Brazil Nut Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Licuri Coconut Oil, Sacha Inchi, Toasted Babassu, Passion Fruit, and Açaí Oil, which are free from chemical additives or solvents and can be used in various industrial applications, from breads, cakes, and sweets to direct use in salads.
Today I can say that, more than ensuring commitment to continuous improvement of processes and products, our expected growth in plant-based production is at least 20% over the coming years. And it doesn’t stop there. Through the Sociobiodiversity Valorization Program, we offer organic and exotic ingredients supported by the training of families and conservation of environmentally at-risk areas across different Brazilian biomes, preventing deforestation. Thus, we can already celebrate having 69 communities directly involved in processing and collecting value chains, conserving 875,000 hectares of forest.
These examples serve only to show that we all have much to learn, and it is the consumers themselves who have been teaching us. It is our duty to deliver quality ingredients grounded in ethics and responsibility. We must work hard to unite innovation, health, well-being, and sustainability to achieve customer satisfaction by meeting their needs and expectations. Finally, it is essential to stay alert. Industries that do not align with the movements of “sensory experience and pleasure,” “healthiness and well-being,” “convenience and practicality,” “reliability and quality,” and “sustainability and ethics” will be discarded over time.
*Lilia Kawazoe, Commercial Manager of Concepta Ingredients, a business unit of the Sabará Group, which has a vast portfolio with various options for the food sector, including the Brazilian Biodiversity Ingredients Line and Organic Ingredients.
